macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install mtoolslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install mtoolsMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/mtools/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 2309
Install mtools with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, scoop, winget
Tools for manipulating MSDOS files. Version 4.0.49 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install floppyd.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add mtoolsAlpine Linux edge package indexes · mtools · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install mtoolsDebian stable package indexes · mtools · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install mtoolsFedora Rawhide package metadata · mtools · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#mtoolsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/mt/mtools/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S mtoolsArch Linux sync databases · mtools · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install mtoolsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · mtools · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/mcatScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/mcat.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id skardyy.mcat -eWindows Package Manager source index · skardyy.mcat · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Tools for manipulating MSDOS files
Project links
Commands and aliases
- amuFormat.sh
- lz
- mattrib
- mbadblocks
- mcat
- mcd
- mcheck
- mcomp
- mcopy
- mdel
- mdeltree
- mdir
- mdoctorfat
- mdu
- mformat
- minfo
- mkmanifest
- mlabel
- mmd
- mmount
- mmove
- mpartition
- mrd
- mren
- mshortname
- mshowfat
- mtools
- mtoolstest
- mtype
- mxtar
- mzip
- tgz
history
Project history and usage
mtools is the long-running GNU collection for accessing MS-DOS/FAT media from Unix-like systems without mounting the filesystem. The README history credits Emmet P. Gray with the original code through roughly version 2.0.7, notes Viktor Dukhovni's major input into version 2.0, and identifies Alain Knaff and David Niemi as primary maintainers after 2.0.7. The same README records March 3, 2009 as the date mtools became an official GNU package, with Gray supporting that transition.
Project history
The toolset is organized around DOS-like commands with Unix command-line ergonomics: mcopy, mdir, mdel, mformat, mlabel, mattrib, mmd, mren, and many related utilities. GNU release notes describe its scope as access to MS-DOS disks from GNU and Unix without mounting, changing FAT-specific attributes, formatting FAT media, supporting Windows-style long filenames, FAT32, OS/2 XDF disks, 2m disks, and disk image files through the -i flag. Debian describes the package similarly and lists related filesystem tools, which matches its role as a practical bridge for floppy disks, removable FAT media, and disk images.
How it is used
Its package-manager niche is durability rather than novelty. mtools persists in Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, Arch, Nix, MacPorts, and other ecosystems because scripts, retro-computing workflows, embedded build systems, virtual-machine image preparation, and recovery tasks still need direct manipulation of FAT filesystems without a kernel mount step or elevated mount policy.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
SYSCONFDIR/mtools.conf~/.mtoolsrc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
amuFormat.sh | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
lz | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mattrib | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mbadblocks | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mcat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mcd | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mcheck | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mcomp | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mcopy | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mdel | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mdeltree | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mdir | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mdoctorfat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mdu | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mformat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
minfo | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mkmanifest | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mlabel | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mmd | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mmount | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mmove | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mpartition | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mrd | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mren | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mshortname | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mshowfat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mtools | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mtoolstest | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mtype | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mxtar | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mzip | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
tgz | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
uz | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version4.0.49
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:mtools |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.0.49 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/ |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
floppyd 4.0.48-1
Daemon for remote access to floppy drives
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apt install floppyd- Section: otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: mtools
- 2 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
Debian apt95%
mtools 4.0.48-1
Tools for manipulating MSDOS files
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apt install mtools- Section: otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
Nix95%
mtools
nix profile install nixpkgs#mtools- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
Ubuntu apt95%
floppyd 4.0.43-1build1
Daemon for remote access to floppy drives
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apt install floppyd- Section: universe/otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: mtools
- 3 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
Ubuntu apt95%
mtools 4.0.43-1build1
Tools for manipulating MSDOS files
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apt install mtools- Section: otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
apk95%
mtools 4.0.49-r0
collection of utilities to access MS-DOS disks from Unix without mounting them
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apk add mtools- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: mtools
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
apk95%
mtools-dbg 4.0.49-r0
collection of utilities to access MS-DOS disks from Unix without mounting them (debug symbols)
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apk add mtools-dbg- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: mtools
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
apk95%
mtools-doc 4.0.49-r0
collection of utilities to access MS-DOS disks from Unix without mounting them (documentation)
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo apk add mtools-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: mtools
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
dnf95%
mtools 4.0.49-4.fc45
Programs for accessing MS-DOS disks without mounting the disks
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo dnf install mtools- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: mtools
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
pacman95%
mtools 1:4.0.49-1
A collection of utilities to access MS-DOS disks
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo pacman -S mtools- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 2 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
zypper95%
mtools 4.0.49-1.5
Tools to access MS-DOS filesystems without kernel drivers
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo zypper install mtools- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: System/Filesystems
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: mtools
- 3 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
zypper95%
mtools-doc 4.0.49-1.5
Documentation for mtools, a toolset for MS-DOS filesystem access
https://www.gnu.org/software/mtools/
sudo zypper install mtools-doc- License: GFDL-1.3-only AND GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Documentation/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: mtools
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
MacPorts95%
mtools
sudo port install mtools- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Mtools
Nix92%
mcat
nix profile install nixpkgs#mcat- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Mcat
Scoop92%
main/mcat
scoop install main/mcat- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Mcat
winget92%
skardyy.mcat
winget install --id skardyy.mcat -e- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Mcat
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation